Home / For international owners / Cruising
Chartering in Menorca: the tramontana, mooring buoy fields and north coast harbours
Short answer
Menorca is quieter than Mallorca,
but its north coast is open to the tramontana, a strong northerly.
Chartering in Menorca means choosing anchorages by the wind,
using the mooring buoy fields over the seagrass and knowing the few harbours on the north coast
that offer shelter.
Menorca is the quieter of the large Balearic islands and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Charter bases are mainly in Mahón and Ciutadella, and some crews come across from Mallorca. The south coast, with its pale sandy coves, is usually sheltered in summer. The north is a different coast: dark rock, deep narrow calas and few harbours apart from Fornells. It lies open to the tramontana, the northerly from the Gulf of Lion, which can blow hard for days and is most common outside high summer.
As everywhere in the Balearics, anchoring on posidonia seagrass is banned. Several bays and the approaches to Fornells have mooring buoy fields that are booked and paid for in season; anchoring on sand is usually allowed where no restricted zone applies. Ciutadella has its own hazard: the rissaga, a sudden oscillation of the water level in the narrow harbour, can raise and drop boats noticeably within minutes, so lines and fenders need slack. Ask the base which bays are off limits in a northerly.
Plan Menorca around the forecast rather than a list of beautiful coves. When the tramontana is due, the south coast is the place to be, and a circumnavigation waits for the next weather window. Ask at handover for the current rules on buoys and protected areas, and check whether the agreement allows a crossing to Mallorca. If you damage someone else's boat or property with the charter yacht you are personally liable, so your own skipper liability insurance belongs in the preparations.
Worth remembering
South coast
sandy coves, sheltered in a northerly
North coast
few harbours, open to the tramontana
In Menorca the wind decides which side of the island you visit.
Questions
What owners ask us about this
When does the tramontana blow in Menorca?
Mostly in spring, autumn and winter, now and then in summer. It can last several days and makes the north coast rough.
Where can I anchor in Menorca?
On sand usually yes, on posidonia never. Many bays have buoy fields that are booked in season.
What should I do about the rissaga in Ciutadella?
Leave enough slack in lines and fenders and watch for warnings from the harbour office.
Related
Not sure whether you qualify?
Whether it is “Chartering in Menorca: the tramontana, mooring buoy fields and north coast harbours” or another question: send us your residence and the flag your boat flies. You will get a straight answer in one email; including a no, if that is the answer.
Was this useful?
